Skyfall
Directed by Sam Mendes
Starring Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, and Albert Finney.
Backstory
New James Bond movie, baby! It seemed like James Bond was in a bit of trouble there for a moment. After Quantum of Solace came out four years, MGM ran into some bankruptcy woes, putting their film franchises on hold while things got sorted out, and thus, delaying the next Bond movie for a few years. But the talent they signed one four years ago decided to stick it out: Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes (American Beauty) as director. And now, with Bond back in theatres, was it worth the wait? And is it a worthy celebration of the 50th anniversary of the film franchise?
Plot
James Bond is in pursuit of a stolen hard drive containing the names of every secret agent embedded in every terrorist organization around the world. In an attempt to recover the hard drive, M orders a sniper to take the shot, but Bond takes the bullet, and is missing presumed dead. With the list still out there, the names of these agents start getting leaked to the public, resulting in a terrorist attack against MI6. Meanwhile, Bond took advantage of his presumed death to go into retirement and is chilling on a tropical island. But when Bond hears of the attack, he knows it’s time to get back into the game. Can Bond ever fully trust M again? Who is the villain, and what are his ties to M. Is Bond getting too old for this game, and should he have stayed retired?
What I Liked
In a way, Skyfall finally completes the reboot that started with Casino Royale. Beloved Bond supporting characters like Q are finally re-introduced. For the past 10 years or so of the franchise, people have been asking whether Bond is truly the right hero for today’s global political climate, but rather than being brushed off with a few glib comments, the question is openly debated and actually becomes a plot point. We get a very modern Bond villain in Bardem’s Mr. Silva. Bond’s origins and background are finally fully explored. And there’s lots of loving references to Bond movies of years past.
What I Didn’t Like
Having trouble coming up with stuff I didn’t like. I was kind of rolling my eyes near the end when the film kinda turns into Batman Begins. It’s right at the film’s climax, so I don’t want to get into too much, for fear of spoilers. But you’ll know it when you see it.
Final Assessment
I’m not ready to say it’s the best James Bond movie, but it’s definitely the best of Daniel Craig’s run to date.